ASSEMBLYMAN BILL MAGEE

The State Assembly has passed a bill allowing for marijuana to be used for medicinal purposes, in tightly controlled circumstances. Assemblyman Bill Magee supports the measure:

(Magee 5-30-14)

Magee said that the state senate only has a few weeks to get legislation passed, as the legislative session ends in the 3rd week of June. Governor Cuomo supports the medicinal use of marijuana.
———————————–
New York City will buy homes and businesses in flood zones in the watershed areas. The one-two punch of tropical storms Irene and Lee in 2011 has prompted an additional $70 million of spending by the city to combat flood hazards. City officials said the programs would protect the water while helping the towns that participate. The city agency will earmark at least $15 million, through 2017, to buy vulnerable homes and businesses, including those not eligible under the FEMA flood buyout program. The city also will provide $17 million to the Catskill Watershed Corporation, which implements protection programs, for flood hazard mitigation in those communities.
——————————————-
The U.S. House of Representatives adopted an amendment introduced by area Congressman Chris Gibson that increases funding to combat the heroin epidemic plaguing Upstate New York communities. The amendment to the Fiscal Year 2015 Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Bill increases the account for the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force by $4 million. The Task Force supports multi-jurisdictional investigations to target drug traffickers.
————————————-
Governor Cuomo vowed to campaign against state Senate leaders unless they pass public financing for statewide campaigns before the Legislature finishes its session next month. Cuomo said he is pessimistic public campaign financing will pass before lawmakers wrap up the session. If the Senate balks at the measure, he said he would “go to the people and tell them what he thought about the coalition failing to deliver on an important progressive item. Senate Republicans blocked broad public financing earlier this year, and lawmakers created a pilot program that only applied to this year’s state comptroller race.
—————————————
The Chenango County Health Department is advocating for the blockage of legislation that would add a layer of red tape to day camp operations in the county. The bill, which has yet to pass the state Senate or Assembly, would subject single purpose day camps, such as dance camp, basketball camp, or even fire camp, to the same regulations associated with summer camps that have multiple recreations like hiking, swimming, and other potentially dangerous recreations. The health department said the legislation could be detrimental to camps in upstate communities.
—————————————
Governor Cuomo reminded New Yorkers the deadline to register to vote in the upcoming June federal primary elections is today. Voters can register using the state’s online MyDMV website. In order to apply to register to vote online, you must have a valid New York State driver license, or identification card, and establish a MyDMV account. Go to dmv.ny.gov.
————————————-
A Fly In Breakfast Will Be Held On Sunday at the Sidney Municipal Airport from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM. The event is sponsored by the Fagan Flyers; the event will include a pancake breakfast, plane rides, crafts, displays, blood pressure screening, live music and a 50/50 raffle.

Binghamton fire fighters responded to a 2-alarm blaze at the Ellis Brothers Furniture Store on Water Street. Area businesses have been evacuated, and Binghamton High School classes were cancelled at 10:30 this morning due to poor air quality downtown. Binghamton Police closed down Court Street from Front Street to State Street. Water Street is closed from Court to Henry streets.

————————————-

38-year-old Ganesh Ramsaran will stand trial for murder in Chenango County court in September. Jury selection will start September 2, Ramsaran was arrested for 2nd degree murder for the death of his wife Jennifer, who was reported missing in December of 2012, her body was found several months later in a wooded areas in the town of Pharsalia.

————————————-

State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli proposed legislation to help ensure that contractors doing business with state agencies are held to high ethical standards while performing important governmental services. The Comptroller’s proposal would establish clear nondisclosure standards for contractors in order to protect the public interest, and subject many state contractors to ethics provisions similar to those of state employees. The legislation can be accessed at osc.state.ny.us.

———————————–

Changes may be coming to promote family farms being passed down to the next generation, with prohibitive costs heaped on to those who inherit a family farm. Assemblyman Bill Magee explains:

(Bill Magee)

Magee said that the price of milk paid to dairy farmers is favorable currently, demand remains high for liquid one milk as New York continues to be number 1 in production for Greek Yogurt.

—————-

Governor Cuomo announced that for the first time in 14 years, New York State would increase funding for the maximum Tuition Assistance Program award. With this increase, New York State has allocated more than $1 billion for grants and scholarships for New York students who pursue higher education at a public or private college in the State. Last year, TAP served nearly 400,000 students across the State.

————————————-

New York’s education policymakers agreed to temporarily ease certification requirements for new teachers, after a number of colleges and labor unions raised concerns about a new exam. The state Board of Regents voted to allow teaching hopefuls, who fail New York’s new teacher performance assessment, to receive their initial 5-year certification, but only if they pass a separate written exam. The eased requirements would only be in effect for those who take the exam before the end of June 2015. The board also approved the creation of a taskforce to review the handbook, review materials for the exam and recommend ways to improve it.

——————————–

New York has raised the state’s maximum college tuition grant for the coming academic year to $5,165. The $165 increase is the first in 14 years. Nearly 400,000 state residents received Tuition Assistance Program awards last year. They can be used for higher education at public or independent colleges or universities in New York. In the 2012-2013 academic year, more than 372,000 New Yorkers got $931 million in tuition assistance program funds, averaging $3,049 per student.

—————————————

Gun control advocates are urging New York lawmakers to require firearm owners to securely store their weapons. New Yorkers Against Gun Violence called on lawmakers to pass legislation mandating guns be stored in a safe or equipped with a gunlock. Another proposal would require all semi-automatic handguns, sold in the state, to be equipped with a device that stamps a unique code into a shell casing each time the gun is fired, making it easier for authorities to track guns used in shootings. Lawmakers passed the SAFE act, which bans the sale of many semi-automatic weapons and requires registration.

14 people were taken into custody in Broome County Wednesday on a variety of drug trafficking charges. Arraignments began in US District court in Binghamton yesterday, Federal Prosecutors announced that all of those taken into custody were members of the Bloods Street Gang, & were known as “MacBallers.” Prosecutors accuse the arrested as being part of a large drug trafficking ring that operated out of New York City and into the Southern tier, distributing large quantities of cocaine, heroin, and marijuana since 2009.

—————————————–

A report of a missing Cooperstown woman had a favorable outcome this morning. 34-year-old Megan Hartmann of Cooperstown & Denver Colorado is a SUNY Oneonta graduate student, she was reported missing Monday, she has been found safe in Myrtle Beach South Carolina, according to the Cooperstown Police Department. The Otsego County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation

———————————————

Lawmakers are continuing to work on the state budget, as the deadline approaches early next week. Assemblyman Bill Magee is on the conference committee negotiating the Agricultural portion, which has some glaring omissions:

(Magee 3-27-14)

Magee continues to chair the assembly Agriculture committee, the state budget deadline in April 1st.

——————————————

The Otsego County sheriff’s department arrested 24-year-old Kristen Rudnitsky of Oneonta for allegedly stealing & selling a vehicle last year. The investigation alleges that Rudnitsky forged the owner’s name on DMV documents and sold the vehicle to a Binghamton resident. Rudnitsky was already in the Otsego County Jail on drug charges, she was arraigned in town of Oneonta Court & was returned to the County Jail, faces action on the new charges in April.

——————————————-

Bassett Healthcare Network announced that Dr. Vance Brown or Portland Maine has been selected as President and Chief Executive Officer, starting July 1st. Dr. Brown will replace Doctor William Streck, who is retiring this year after 30 years at Bassett. Dr. Brown comes to Bassett from Maine Health in Portland, where he has been Chief Medical Officer since 2008.

———————————————

State Police arrested 31-year-old Jason Barnhart of Bloomville on charges of DWI & reckless driving. Barnhart is accused of driving while intoxicated on state route 10 through Delaware county, at speeds around 100 miles an hour, and for throwing a beer can out of his vehicle. Barnhart will appear in Kortright town court on April 15th to answer the charges.

———————————————–

New York State is getting more than $28 million from the federal government to fund fish and wildlife conservation and recreation projects. That’s the state’s share of the nearly $1.1 billion in excise tax revenues, paid by sportsmen and sportswomen, that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will distribute to state fish and wildlife agencies nationwide. The Fish and Wildlife Service allocates the funds to all 50 states, through two programs funded by excise taxes, generated by the sale of sporting firearms, ammunition, archery equipment, fishing equipment and tackle, and fuel taxes on motorboats and small engines.

——————————

Girls on the Run of Central New York will host their 2nd Annual Guys Night Out at Brewery Ommegang on Saturday, April 5 from 6 to 9:30 p.m. This guys-only event is designed to create awareness of the program and to raise funds to support the nonprofit organization that provides a transformational learning program for girls in 3rd-8th grade to unleash confidence through accomplishment while establishing a lifetime appreciation of health and fitness. More information is available at girlsontheruncny.org.

The family of long time Franklin firefighter James Wilber, has established “Jim’s Fire Squad” where they plan to donate toy fire trucks to children battling cancer at Saint Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. Wilber succumbed to a heart attack while responding to a call on February 9th tragically lost his life on the way to a call; he had served in area fire departments for 40 years. Donated toy fire trucks in honor of Jim Wilber’s memory can be sent to: Jim’s Fire Squad 33 Watercrest Drive Franklin, New York 13775

———————————————

Legislative leaders and Governor Cuomo continued budget discussions yesterday as lawmakers said they would seek to add $500 million in state spending, $240 million of it would go toward extra school aid. Lawmakers said that revenue is higher than Governor Cuomo’s projections; lawmakers have yet to determine where the extra money would be spent. The budget is expected to be passed by the April 1st deadline.

———————————-

A former Walton teacher, who was indicted on charges of rape and having sex with 2 underage students, has been charged again for those crimes. 29-year-old Stephanie Fletcher is charged with 2 counts of 3rd degree rape and 4 counts of 3rd degree criminal sexual act. Fletcher is accused of having sex with two minors under 17 between January and March 2012. The new indictment was filed on March 6th; Fletcher will be arraigned in Delaware County Court March 27th

———————————————-

Investigators from the State Police Troop C Violent Felony Warrant detail arrested 34-year-old Kalief Spriel on an arrest warrant, following an appearance at the Town of Chenango Court for an unrelated traffic ticket. Spriel was charged with Criminal Possession of Stolen Property, 1st degree Identity Theft, Forgery, and Falsifying Business Records & Grand Larceny. Spriel was wanted in Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, he was arrested without incident & was turned over to the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office for processing.

——————————————

The Chenango county sheriffs department arrested 45-year-old Gail Boudreau of Norwich for DWI & Failure to keep right, during a traffic stop in the Town of Norwich. Boudreau is accused of driving under the influence of prescription drugs, she was released to a sober third party was ordered to appear in the Town of Norwich Court at a later date.

———————————————–

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 26-year-old Jody Barnes of Franklin Thursday on 1 count of Criminal Mischief. Barnes is accused of driving a vehicle on the Franklin Central School Athletic Field on March 13th, causing in excess of $5000 damage to the Field. Barnes was arraigned in the Town of Delhi Court and released on recognizance pending a future court appearance.

———————————–

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested 23-year-old Natasha Donnelly of Otselic on charges of Criminal Mischief & 2nd degree Harassment. Donnelly is accused of striking the victim in the face and damaging some of the victim’s property during a domestic dispute, she was arraigned in the Town of Otselic Court and was released; she will reappear in the Town of Otselic Court at a later date.

———————————-

State Senator Jim Seward announced Senate approval of his legislation allowing the dissolution of the Montgomery, Otsego, Schoharie Solid Waste Authority. The bill also includes a plan for the distribution of the authority’s assets and liabilities among the 3 member counties. The bill has been sent to the assembly where it was introduced by area Assemblyman Bill Magee.

—————————————-

The Sidney class of 2015 will hold the 3rd Annual Faculty Basketball game at 7:00 PM tonight. Students will play faculty members in the High School Gym, tickets will be $3 a piece, the community Is invited to attend, prizes & gift certificates will be given out during the evening.

Officials with the Constitution Pipeline, Leatherstocking Gas Company & Amphenol in Sidney announced a plan to get natural gas services to Amphenol’s new plant, as well as to towns and businesses along the 125-mile proposed route along the I-88 Corridor. The Constitution Pipeline would run from northern Pennsylvania to parts of New York State for eventual distribution into New England. Amphenol in Sidney would be one of the four “tap” locations, meaning natural gas would come directly into the facility. Construction of the pipeline could start in January 2015 pending federal approval.

————————–

Conference committees are getting to work this week on various aspects of the state budget proposals. Area Assemblyman Bill Magee is on the conference committee overseeing agriculture; he said that the amount of money that farmers get relates to how much education aid is increased;

(Magee 3-19-14)

Magee once again chairs the assembly Agriculture Committee; he said that he is relatively confident that the state budget will be passed on time again this year.

————————————

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 31 year old Gerard Johnson of Walton on a warrant from the city of Oneonta Court for failure to pay a fine for his arrest on a charge of criminal possession of a controlled substance. Johnson was turned over to the City of Oneonta Police Department for further processing & subsequent court action.

———————————————–

State Police of Norwich arrested 47-year-old Mathew Bates, of Plymouth for 2nd degree Harassment. The arrest followed an investigation into a recent dispute in the town of Plymouth, Bates was arraigned in the Town of Sherburne Court and released on his own recognizance & will reappear in court on March 28th.

——————————————————-

State Police in Deposit arrest 42-year-old Patrick Brown of Deposit for Criminal Obstruction of Breathing and Criminal Mischief. The arrest occurred after a dispute Deposit, where Brown is accused of choking the victim and keeping the vic9tm from notifying police. Brown was arraigned in the Town of Deposit Court and released on his own recognize, an order of protection was issued by the court against Brown.

———————————————

A new insurance program set to replace an older safety net built on farm subsidies could make life easier for all farmers in New York State. The Margin Protection Program will serve as an optional insurance plan farmers can buy into. The plan will replace the Milk Income Loss Contract, which acted more like a subsidy for farmers when the milk price dropped below profitable levels. US Senator Charles Schumer visited a farm in Sherburne to promote the plan, and promise assistance in helping farmers understand it. The new insurance plans will take effect in September.

——————————————

State Police arrested 27-year-old Jason Harvey of Groton on 1 count each Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance & Unlawful Manufacture of Methamphetamine. Harvey is accused of manufacturing Methamphetamines in his residence, he was arraigned & was remanded to Tompkins County Jail on $15,000 cash bail or $30,000 secured bond pending court action March 21st.

—————————————-

The Southern Tier Parents against the Common Core are holding a presentation on March 31st. The event will take place from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the Vestal Library; concerned parents are encouraged to attend. More information is available at parents against cc.com

The latest winter storm to hit the area has been a complicated one for forecasters to pin down, Sidney high school meteorologist Rich Townsend comments:

(Rich Townsend 3-12-14)

WCDO will have area delays or postponements tomorrow morning, demanding on what the storm leaves behind.

—————————————

Efforts are being coordinated to assist Gordon & Jeanne Shields of Guilford, who lost their home to a fire early Tuesday morning at 459 Keech Road. The family dog woke up all family members, at around 1:15 AM Tuesday, they all escaped, but the house was heavily damaged. Monetary donations are being accepted through the Bainbridge branch of Sidney Federal Credit Union at 967-7101, clothing, toiletries, & bedding for the family of 3; plus dog & cat food are needed. Investigators have not yet released the cause of the fire.

—————————————–

The passing of budget bills is underway in both houses of the state legislature this week, with good news for the region, according to area Assemblyman Bill Magee:

(Magee 3-12-14)

Magee said that once the budget bills are passed, the conference committees will get to work on various segments of the budget, Magee said he expects the budget to be on time for the 4th year in a row.

———————————————

The state Labor department announced that local unemployment rates soared in January, opposite the state & national trends. Locally, Chenango County’s unemployment rate was 7.4%, up 1.2 % from December, Delaware County’s rate rose 1.4% to 8.1% and Otsego County’s rate was 7.4%, also up 1.4% from the month before. Statewide, the unemployment rate was 6.8%; nationwide it was at 6.6%

———————————————–

Chenango county sheriff’s department arrested 45-year-old Robert Rice of Greene for DWI, Driving with a BAC of .08% or higher and unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. Rice was stopped in the town of Smithville for a moving violation. He was found to be operating the motor vehicle in an intoxicated state. Rice was taken into custody; processed, and released to a sober third party he will appear in the Town of Smithville Court at a later date.

——————————————————

Norwich police arrested 27-year-old Jory Page of Sherburne following the investigation into a domestic dispute. Page is was charged with 1st degree criminal contempt, 2nd degree menacing, reckless endangerment, 4th degree criminal possession of a weapon, criminal mischief, endangering the welfare of a child and petty larceny, he is accused of violating an order of protection and threatening another person. Page was being held pending arraignment on the charges.

———————————————–

State Troopers in Deposit arrested 29-year-old Nicole Mills of Deposit for Criminal Possession of Controlled Substance & Criminally Possessing a Hypodermic Instrument. The arrest occurred after a traffic stop on State Route 17 in Sanford, Mills was arrested on an outstanding bench warrant from the Town of Sanford Court, she was also found to possess a small amount of heroin and a hypodermic syringe. Mills was arraigned in the Village of Deposit Court and remanded to the Broome County Jail on bail.

————————————————

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested 21-year-old Jessica Levesque of Afton on 2 counts of endangering the Welfare of a Child. A Deputy responded to the report of loose dogs, & while attempting to locate the owner of the dogs a young infant could be heard crying inside of a residence. Numerous attempts to get someone to answer the door were unsuccessful. Once inside Levesque was located with 2 infants, a wood stove was operating within feet of the infant, with a burning piece of wood hanging out of the stove & with a door that did not contain the fire. Levesque was issued an appearance ticket for Afton Town Court at a later date.

—————————————————–

State Police in Greene arrested 28-year-old William Ray of Greene for DWI with a BAC result of .17%, more than twice the legal limit. The arrest followed a traffic stop for speeding on State Route 41 in Greene; Ray was issued tickets returnable to the Town of Greene Court on March 20th.

State Police arrested 37-year-old Victoria Young of Hancock for endangering the welfare of a child and 2nd degree Forgery. Troopers also arrested 33-year-old Jeffery Johnson of Hancock for endangering the welfare of a child and criminal possession of a forged instrument. Young & Johnson were arrested yesterday following the death of their 2-year-old daughter Andie Johnson, who fell from a second-story apartment September 17th in Hancock. The pair were arraigned in the Hancock court and remanded to the Delaware county jail with no bail set at this time.

——————————–

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Department arrested a 16-year-old male youth from Plymouth Sunday afternoon, after he drove through a police road check in the town of Oxford. Deputies said that the youth had a 3-year-old passenger in the vehicle that was in an improper child restraint seat. The youth was charged with Felony Aggravated Driving while Intoxicated, Driving While Ability impaired by drugs and endangering the welfare of a child. The unidentified Teen was arraigned in the Town of Norwich Court and was remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility on $100 cash bail.

———————————-

New York Farm Bureau has announced their annual “Circle of Friends,” naming 101 State Legislators to the list. Local lawmakers who were named to the list included state senators Jim Seward, John Bonacic & Tom Libous and Assemblymen Cliff Crouch, Bill Magee & Pete Lopez. The award is an indication of the individual lawmaker’s legislative support of New York agriculture and of the Farm Bureau.

————————————-

State troopers arrested 30-year-old Michael Hercules of Columbia, Maryland for criminal possession of a weapon, aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and unlawful possession of marihuana. Hercules was stopped for speeding on Interstate 88, he was found to have a suspended license and illegally possessed a handgun. He was arraigned before the town of Maryland court and was remanded to the Otsego county jail in lieu of $2,000 cash bail.

—————————————–

The Public Market in Norwich is now a year-round farmers market. The winter farmers market will run from November through May each Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The location will continue to be in East Side Park as long as the weather is temperate. When the weather starts turning in the fall, the market will move indoors to the Morrisville College Follett Hall Atrium at 20 Conkey Avenue in Norwich. More information is available at 345-1447.

—————————————-

Former Governor George Pataki, former Comptroller Carl McCall and union and business leaders will head a tax-cutting commission set up by Governor Andrew Cuomo. The commission will find ways to cut $2 to $3 billion dollars in taxes over the next few years. Cuomo and the state legislature cut state spending the first 2 years of his administration, but were forced to increase spending in the budget currently in effect, but the state did implement a 2% tax cap for school districts & municipalities in order to keep taxes from increasing above the rate of inflation. The Commission’s recommendations will be due by December 6th for inclusion in the Governor’s 2014 State of the State message.

—————————————–

State troopers arrested 55-year-old Jeffrey All of Bloomville for felony DWI, unauthorized use of a Motor Vehicle, & felony aggravated unlicensed operation. While responding to a report of a stolen vehicle in Delaware County, troopers found that the suspect returned to the residence after crashing the vehicle. All is accused of taking the vehicle without permission, that he was intoxicated at the time of the accident, had 2 prior DWI convictions in the last 10 years, and his BAC was 3 times the legal limit. All was arraigned and was remanded to the Delaware county jail with no bail set pending future court action.

State police responded to a 2-vehicle accident with 9 injuries at around 7:30 this morning in Madison County. Reports said that a Department of Transportation dump truck hit a Sherburne Earlville school district van, after the district vehicle went through a stop sign in Smithfield. Troopers reported that the school van was carrying 6 teachers to Syracuse, the DOT Truck had 3 passengers, both vehicles went off the road & both overturned. All 9 were taken to area hospitals, the investigation is continuing.

The Chenango county sheriffs department arrested an unidentified 16-year-old female from Guilford on a charge of 2nd degree harassment. The juvenile was arrested after an investigation into a fight on a school bus where the suspect struck the victim in the head and face several times. The juvenile will appear in the Town of Guilford Court at a later date.

———————————-

State Police Community Narcotics Enforcement Team and the Vestal and Endicott Police Departments executed a search warrant this morning & arrested 37 year old Raheem Gibson & 35 year old Ann Vargas of Westover on charges of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, Criminally Using Drug Paraphernalia, Unlawful Possession of Marihuana and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. Police confiscated cocaine, marihuana, and a scale; both were issued appearance tickets returnable to the Town of Union Court at a later date.

———————————-

State troopers arrested 31-year-old Howard Archer of Unadilla for Unlawful Possession of Marihuana. The arrest resulted from a traffic stop on State Route 7 in the Town of Unadilla; Archer was issued tickets returnable to the Town of Unadilla Court on July 8th.

————————————-

The 2013 farm aid concerts will come to the Saratoga performing arts center later this year. The show will be on Saturday September 21, featuring John Mellencamp, Willie nelson, Neil young, Dave Matthews and many other, tickets will go on sale on Friday.

————————

Delaware County’s solid waste composting facility has been operating for 7 years now, and the product from the facility is sold daily for a number of reasons. Solid waste management coordinator Sue McIntyre explains:

(Sue McIntyre 6-26-13)

McIntyre said that information will also be released shortly about this fall’s “Clean Sweep” days.

—————————-

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Pennsylvania resident on an active Family Court Warrant. 27-year-old Alfredo Gonzalez of Browndale, Pennsylvania was wanted on a warrant issued by the Chenango County Family Court for failure to pay child support; he was remanded to the Chenango County Correctional facility on $1,000 purge or to serve a 60 day sentence.

————————————-

Oneonta homeowner Frank Monaco will discuss the Home Performance with Energy Star® Program tomorrow at 12 Shepherd Avenue in Oneonta. Monaco will be joined tomorrow at 11:00 am, by Oneonta Mayor Richard Miller, Assemblyman Bill Magee, area contractors, and Oneonta common council members regarding the program’s benefits to local property owners and contractors. Interested participants will be able to sign up for the program at the event.

State police arrested 47-year-old Maria McGuane of Owego for 2nd degree grand larceny. McGuane is accused of stealing more than $50,000 from her employer between 1999 and 2012; she was arraigned in town of Owego court and was released pending future court action.

—————————-

The New York farm bureau and local farmers will speak with lawmakers today regarding the continuing financial burdens of farming in the state. Farmers are scheduled to speak with Assembly Ag Committee chairman Bill Magee regarding possible legislation to assist farmers.

————————————

The Oneonta common council will hold their next regular meeting this evening. The meeting will begin at 7:00 PM in the council chambers at the 2nd floor of Oneonta city hall.

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested 42-year-old Gary Cameron of Norwich for 2nd degree Burglary. Cameron allegedly forcibly entered a Town of Norwich residence and stole a television he was arraigned in the Town of Norwich Court and remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility on $500 cash bail. Cameron is to appear in the Town of Norwich Court on a later date.

————————————

The Otsego County Planning Department, & several other county agencies have teamed up to sponsor a workshop series called “Energy Wise Otsego,” to help people save energy dollars with free assessments and suggestions for home improvement projects. Outreach Coordinator at Public Policy and Education Fund of NY Solvei Blue comments:

(Solvei Blue 5-8-13)

The workshop series continues this Saturday from 10:30 am until 12:00 Noon, at the Hanford Mills Museum in East Meredith, another one is scheduled for Tuesday, May 28th from 7:00 pm till 8:30PM at the Hartwick Town Hall. More information is available at 723-0110.

————————————

This Saturday will be the 23rd annual Ed Wessells Memorial Canoe Regatta along the Susquehanna River, a precursor to the General Clinton Race on Memorial Day weekend. More information about the race can be found at sidneychamber.org, the racers expect to get to Sidney at around 1:00 PM Saturday.

—————————————–

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested 30-year-old Mandie Willis of Cortland on a charge of 3rd degree Forgery. Willis allegedly forged a document while she was incarcerated in the Chenango County Jail, she was arraigned & was remanded back to the Jail on bail, She is to reappear in the Town of Norwich Court at a later date.

———————

The Otsego county department of health will hold a child safety seat check today from 4:00 to 6:00 PM at the offices of AAA at 195 Oneida Street in Oneonta. Certified child safety seat technicians will be on hand, they request that parents bring a copy of the manual of their child safety seats to the event. More information is available at 547-4230.

—————————

Promote Oxford Now will hold their next meeting this evening at 7:00 PM at 6 On The Square, in downtown Oxford. PON is a nonprofit organization, mostly made up of local business people that seeks to promote the Oxford business community, to recognize and maintain Oxford’s historic nature and to respect its hometown character and culture. More information about Promote Oxford Now is available at PON.oxfordny.com or at 843-2121.

————————–

State lawmakers are considering a series of bills designed to protect pets and livestock. Assemblyman Bill Magee comments: